A Texas mother who super-glued her 2-year-old
daughter's hands to a wall and beat her over potty training problems was
sentenced Friday morning to 99 years in prison, a Dallas County felony
records department district clerk said.

Elizabeth Escalona, 23, will be eligible to ask for parole in 30
years. She pleaded guilty in July to a charge of first-degree injury to a
child, a crime punishable by anywhere between probation and life in
prison.

"This mom was pure evil, and her children are better off without
her," prosecutor Eren Price said after a judge delivered Friday's
sentence. "Her five kids now have a chance to lead a productive life."

Escalona’s attorney said that the sentence was excessive and that an appeal would be filed,

Escalona's daughter Jocelyn Cedillo was less than two months shy of
her 3rd birthday in September 2011 when Escalona used a powerful
adhesive to glue her hands to a wall and beat her because of potty
training troubles, authorities said. Three other children belonging to
Escalona, who was pregnant at the time, witnessed the abuse, according
to Dallas County district attorney's office spokeswoman Debbie Denmon.

The child urinated on herself during the ordeal, during which she was
hit in head and kicked in the groin, among other forms of abuse, Denmon
said.

Oefelia Escalona, the defendant's mother, testified during her
daughter's sentencing hearing this week that she found the girl and took
her to a hospital. Once Jocelyn was there, medical authorities noticed
severe bruises to her face and head, as well as a severe brain injury
that led to her temporarily being in a coma.

At this week's sentencing hearing, prosecutors showed pictures of Jocelyn's hands and bruised body and forehead.

"The entire picture was very shocking,"
said Dr. Amy Barton, then a child abuse pediatrician at Children's
Medical Center of Dallas, choking back tears on the stand on Monday. "I
see a lot of children, and this was one of the most shocking cases that I
have seen."

Escalona asked for leniency during her sentencing hearing this week,
saying she behaved like a monster but deserved a second chance, KTVT
reported. Her mother asked the judge to sentence Elizabeth to probation,
according to KTVT.

Price initially offered a plea bargain of 45 years in prison, but Escalona turned it down, the district attorney's office said.

Price said that the judge, after learning more about Escalona during the hearing, was justified in sentencing her to more time.

"Elizabeth Escalona wasn't sorry for what she did to 2-year-old
Jocelyn. Elizabeth Escalona felt sorry for herself," Price said. "Those
tears on the stand were for her and not for the toddler she tortured."

An attempt to reach Escalona's attorney for comment Friday was not immediately successful.

Before this incident, Escalona had been investigated by Texas Child
Protective Services but never arrested or charged, Denmon said.

The child welfare agency put all of her children in foster care after
Jocelyn was taken to the hospital. All five of them, including Jocelyn,
are now in the custody of their grandmother, Oefelia Escalona.

She deserves every damn bit of that time. She's an evil wench. Poor little girl. I think crimes committed by mother should be more harsh. We are supposed to be their safe place. So sad.

by Anonymous 1

October 13, 2012 at 1:00 PM

No mother deserves a life sentence the child did survive. Where were all those pro-life supporters helping this mom learning to raise children she obviously had more htan she could handle. Where was the father. Where were the neighbors. Psycho path or not there should have been help for her in the community. But this country is all about punishing the mothers who are trying under many times impossilbe circumastances...no money,.,.no day care...dangerous neighborhoods, dead beat dads, no health care...to raise children. Stay out of Texas a bunch of poorly educated self serving idiots.

This country is all about setting the mother up to fail and then villifying her when she does.

No mother deserves a life sentence the child did survive. Where were all those pro-life supporters helping this mom learning to raise children she obviously had more htan she could handle. Where was the father. Where were the neighbors. Psycho path or not there should have been help for her in the community. But this country is all about punishing the mothers who are trying under many times impossilbe circumastances...no money,.,.no day care...dangerous neighborhoods, dead beat dads, no health care...to raise children. Stay out of Texas a bunch of poorly educated self serving idiots.

This country is all about setting the mother up to fail and then villifying her when she does.

No mother deserves a life sentence the child did survive. Where were all those pro-life supporters helping this mom learning to raise children she obviously had more htan she could handle. Where was the father. Where were the neighbors. Psycho path or not there should have been help for her in the community. But this country is all about punishing the mothers who are trying under many times impossilbe circumastances...no money,.,.no day care...dangerous neighborhoods, dead beat dads, no health care...to raise children. Stay out of Texas a bunch of poorly educated self serving idiots.

This country is all about setting the mother up to fail and then villifying her when she does.

Quoting kitty8199:

I'm glad, she deserved it

So, that is a reason to beat you child to near death? And, because she was stressed out, she should not be punished? she will not do life. She will be eligible for parole in 30 years. Moral of the story? You do not want to go to jail, don't beat your kids to near death. And, all the BS you rattled off? BS. Many, many people have it worse than you listed and would never consider beating their child, to near death. And, guess what? BC is widely available. Nobody is pushing these "poor mothers" into anything.

by Anonymous 1

October 15, 2012 at 12:58 PM

But the man who beats his wife almost to death doesn't deserve life? Why does she get more than proabably any one else.

by Anonymous 1

October 15, 2012 at 12:59 PM

i am not saying she shouldn't be punished I am asking why she is being punished more thn other child abusers who do eaqually horrific things.

Quoting Aislinn:

Quoting Anonymous:

No mother deserves a life sentence the child did survive. Where were all those pro-life supporters helping this mom learning to raise children she obviously had more htan she could handle. Where was the father. Where were the neighbors. Psycho path or not there should have been help for her in the community. But this country is all about punishing the mothers who are trying under many times impossilbe circumastances...no money,.,.no day care...dangerous neighborhoods, dead beat dads, no health care...to raise children. Stay out of Texas a bunch of poorly educated self serving idiots.

This country is all about setting the mother up to fail and then villifying her when she does.

Quoting kitty8199:

I'm glad, she deserved it

So, that is a reason to beat you child to near death? And, because she was stressed out, she should not be punished? she will not do life. She will be eligible for parole in 30 years. Moral of the story? You do not want to go to jail, don't beat your kids to near death. And, all the BS you rattled off? BS. Many, many people have it worse than you listed and would never consider beating their child, to near death. And, guess what? BC is widely available. Nobody is pushing these "poor mothers" into anything.